Two weeks after the formal launch of the Code of Conduct and professional
standards for police officers by the Police High Command with fanfare, most of
the rank and file has not got copies of the document.
Daily Independent investigation in some police divisions and stations in some
satellite towns in the FCT and part of Nasarawa State, showed that only
Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) have so far received copies of the booklet.
A DPO in one of the satellite towns,
who pleaded anonymity disclosed that he got a copy of the document at the venue
of the launch and that since then, no copies have been given to his division
for onward distribution to his officers and men.
According him, “It was at the day of
the launch that I got this copy I am using. No copy has been given to us for
distribution to our rank and file and nobody told us when we are going to get
the copies.
“It will make our work easier if we
get copies of the code for our rank and file, because teaching them during
lecture alone will not be enough.”
An inspector in one of the police
stations in Mararaba, a satellite town close to FCT, said, “I saw a copy of the
book you are talking about with our DPO, but have not gotten my own copy.
“The DPO told me that it would soon
be launched in Nasarawa State, before we can get the copies.”
While responding to questions from
our correspondent, a police constable who gave his name as Bala in Nyanya,
Abuja, said, “I have not seen that book you are talking about.”
“But our DPO told us during lecture
that there are new rules that we must follow when doing our work.
“If they want us to do our work
well, they should provide us with copies of the code so that we can study it at
home.
“It is not enough for the DPO to
just teach us during lecture in the office. We need the book to enable us study
it well, so that we will not do what our •••ogas••• (superiors) do not want.”
It would be recalled that on
Thursday January 10, the Police High Command launched the Code of Conduct for
officers and men of the force.
Speaking at the event, Inspector
General of Police (IGP), Muhammad Abubakar, said the falling standard of
discipline was one of the institutional challenges that made it impossible for
the force to deliver on its mandate of protecting lives and property.
This, according to him, “is what
propelled the initiative to come forth with this Code of Conduct.”
Also, at a meeting with top police
officers from the rank of commissioners and above, the IGP directed them to organise
workshops and seminars in their various commands and zones to ensure that both
officers and men comply with the code of conduct.
“Having just launched the Code of
Conduct, Zonal AIGs and Commissioners of Police should take this as a directive
to go back to their respective commands and organise workshops and seminars for
this Code of Conduct with a view of bringing it to the knowledge of all
officers and men under their zones and commands for compliance,” he stressed.
Abubakar warned that the conduct of
officers and men would be watched very seriously and focus would be given to
each of these officers and their area of responsibility.
He said: “We do equally expect
members of the public to equally support and assist the police in respect to
this Code of Conduct for compliance.”
He called on members of the public
to complaint to the police authorities in case of failure to comply with the
code.
“The public can make observation and
make complaints to the highest authority of the police.
“That means the conduct of officers
can be reported at divisional level, area command level, command level, zonal
level and at the Force headquarters level,” he reiterated”.
He also appealed that while making
their complaints on the non-compliance to the code, “Nigerians should be
genuine, honest and fair to these officers and men”.
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